Coded card assorting device and system

ABSTRACT

The disclosure describes a coded card assorting device and system that processes one coded card at a time taken from a stack of such cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack, said device and process including a single, card transferer and a gravity operated discriminating means synchronized with the transferer; said device and system being adapted to intermittently take coded cards from the stack and deliver them into predestined bins.

[4 1 Mar. 21, 1972 United States Patent Shaw Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Attorney-Walter S. Murray [54] CODED CARD ASSORTING DEVICE AND SYSTEM [72] Inventor:

[57] ABSTRACT The disclosure describes a coded card asserting device and system that processes one coded card at a time taken from a [22] Filed:

stack of such cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack, said device and process including a single, card transferer and a gravity operated discriminating means synchronized with the transferer; said device and system being adapted to intermit- ....B07c 3/04 tentiy take coded cards from the stack and deliver them into ....209/80.5, 1 10.5; 271/64', 33 predestined bins.

Field of Search 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Patented March 21, 1972 INVENTO R Joseph D. J'haw Arr):

CODE!) CARD ASSORTING DEVICE AND SYSTEM This invention relates to improvements in card assorting devices and systems and is principally concerned with an automatic sorting device and novel system that processes one card at a time, each taken from a stack of coded cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack.

An object of the invention is to provide a gravity actuated card sorting device and system that is positive and reliable in operation wherein friction between adjacent cards is minimized and which requires only relatively inexpensive mechanism for carrying out the assorting steps therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single card transferer means combined and synchronized with a gravity operated card discriminating means to secure an improved card assorting device and system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a positive acting device that makes it possible for a large number ofcoded cards to be sorted one at a time, in an efficient and fast manner.

With these and other objects in view the present invention contemplates a gravity coded card discriminating means which drops cards one at a time into their predetermined bins in conjunction with a single card transferer means adapted to pick up the uppermost coded card from a stack of said cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack and deposit it in an initial position in the discriminating means for delivery to its predestined bin.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmental top plan view of the card assorting device of this invention, parts thereof being broken away and shown in section.

FIG. 2 is a much enlarged section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on lines 33 of FIG. 2.

Gravity actuated coded card sorting apparatus and systems have been proposed but were not always positive acting due to friction between adjacent cards in a pack, and many cards were not delivered to their predetermined bins and thus were deposited in a terminal catch-all bin and had to be resorted. With respect to gravity card sorting means a detailed disclosure thereofis set forth in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,609, granted Aug. 11, I970.

With reference to the drawings the coded card assorting means may comprise a circular housing 5 having a number of angularly spaced apart bins 6 and a circular card discriminating chamber 7 superimposed on and in communication with the row of bins. A top wall 8 of the housing had a radial slot 9 formed therethrough which forms an entrance opening for a single coded card receiving station 10 formed by a platform 11 and two opposed upstanding wings 12 and 13 of the housing. A vertical drive shaft 14 is rotatably mounted concentrically of the top wall 8 in bearings 15 and 16 and has a radially extended arm 17 fixed to its lower end; said arm having a card pusher plate 18 fixed to its free end. A hand operated crank 19, or other power means, is connected to the upper end of the shaft 14 and it will be understood that by turning the crank, say in a counterclockwise direction, the pusher plate is continuously rotated full turns through the chamber 7.

The circular chamber has a number of radially spaced apart rodlike ways 20, 21 and 22 disposed concentric with the drive shaft 14, each way being suspended from the top wall in any desired manner. As best illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, certain of the ways are discontinued, as at 23, in various radial coded card discriminating combinations above each bin 6 whereby coded cards unsupported by ways over said bins will fall by gravity thereinto. With reference to FIG. 2 of the drawings it is noted that all the ways are discontinued at the receiving station 10 and at a catch-all bin 24 next preceding the station 10 in the rotatory directions of the pusher plate 18 whereby nondelivered coded cards will fall into said bin for storage until placed in another sorter for further sorting.

A card pack receptacle 25 is positioned on the top wall 8 of the housing 5 and is formed by a bottom wall 26 welded or otherwise fixed to the top wall in a position in advance of the card slot 9 therethrough with respect to the counterrotatory movement of the shaft 14 (FIG. 1). Foreshortened upstanding sidewalls 27 and 28 project upwardly from the bottom wall and are angularly connected to a leading end wall 29 and a trailing end wall 30. Cards 31 indiscriminately mingled in a pack 32 are placed in the receptacle 25 with their common coded edges aligned at one end and with all their data bearing faces turned in the same direction in the pack.

A single card transferer means is intermittently operated and synchronized with the card discriminating means and comprises a transfer rod 33 mounted on the shaft 14 in an angular position leading the direction of movement of the pusher plate 18 (FIG. 1 As best shown in FIG. 3 the rod 33 is connected to the shaft 14 by means of a flat portion 35 formed on the shaft 14 which is loosely received in the slot 36 on the end of the rod 33, said rod being permitted free vertical swinging movement on the shaft 14 and loosely held thereon between vertically spaced apart pins 37 and 38 each fixed at its central portion on the flat portion 35 of the shaft and projecting from both sides thereof. The transfer rod rides upon a circular ring cam 39 concentric with the shaft 14 and projecting upwardly from the top wall 8. A depression 40 is formed in the cam that is spaced radially inwardly from the card receptacle 25, said depression having a substantially vertical portion 41 and an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion 42. A transfer wheel 43 is rotatably mounted by a ball bearing 44 on the end of the transfer rod 33 and is provided with a tacky peripheral surface 45. As best shown in FIG. 2 a card stop means in the form of an upstanding plate 46 is mounted on the housing just rearwardly of the slot 9 therethrough, said plate having an upwardly opening slot 47 formed in its upper portion.

A cycle of the assorting device and system will now be described it being understood that the cycles are continued until an entire stack of coded cards are assorted and delivered to predetermined bins.

In operation a pack 32 of coded cards 31 to be assorted are placed in the receptacle 25 with their common coded ends in vertical alignment and their data bearing faces placed face upwardly. The crank 19 is then grasped and continuously turned in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 1 which simultaneously rotates the pusher rod 17 and the transfer rod 33 counterclockwise from their positions shown in said Figure. As the transfer wheel 43 first reaches the depression 40 the rod 33 becomes unsupported by the cam 39 and the tacky periphery 45 of the wheel will fall upon the uppermost card 31 in the stack, thus adhesively fastening the card to the periphery of the wheel. As shown by dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 2 said wheel connected card will then be lifted upwardly by means of the sliding engagement of the transfer rod 33 with the inclined portion 42 of the cam to a position where the card hits the stop 46 whereby the wheel will become disengaged from the card and the card will drop by gravity through the slot 9 and into the card receiving station 10, the wheel itself passing through the slot 47 in the stop. As the pusher plate trails the wheel it will then pick up the card 31 in the receiving station 10 and move it through the delivery chamber 7, the discriminating ways 20, 21 and 22 being engaged by the coded slots in the card and the card falling into a predetermined bin 6 when it moves to a position in the chamber where it becomes unsupported by a combination of discontinued way portions above a particular bin.

The coded cards individually and intermittently picked up from a stack, transferred and gravity delivered into predestined bins by the apparatus and system described hereinbefore are free of all frictional contacts between successive cards thereby providing a reliable yet simplified device and system for assorting coded cards from a stack.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described it will be understood that various changes in details of construction may be made without a departure from the scope of the appended claims; such details including the particular structure of the transferer means and the kind of mechanism coordinating the operations of the transferer means and the card discriminating means.

- What is claimed is:

1. In a coded card assorting system, a receptacle, means for holding a stack of coded cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack, a card discriminating chamber, a row of individual card receiving bins for the chamber, a single card receiving station at the initial end of the chamber, a transferer means moving a card at a time from the top of the stack to the receiving station, and means for advancing a single card face-wise from the station and through the chamber whereby each coded card will be delivered to a predetermined bin.

2. The coded card assorting system set forth in claim 1 wherein the transferer means is intermittently actuated and the means forvadvancing a single card from the station is synchronized with the transferer means 3. In a coded card assorting device the combination with a card discriminating chamber having a plurality of card receiving bins, of a single card holder located at the initial end of the chamber, an intermittently operated card pusher means adapted to advance cards one at a time from the holder into the chamber and deliver it to its predetermined bin, a receptacle for holding a stack of cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack, and a card transferer means synchronized with the pusher means and adapted to move a card from the stack to the card holder in advance of the operation of the card pusher means.

4. In a coded card assorting device set forth in claim 3 wherein the receptacle is open-topped and the transferer means is a wheel having a tacky periphery adapted to adhesively contact and lift the uppermost card in the stack to the holder.

5. In a coded card assorting device set forth in claim 4 wherein a card stop means is positioned above the card holder and is adapted to engage the card on the transferer means and drop it into the holder.

6. In a coded card handling device set forth in claim 3 wherein the chamber is circular in plan and the card pusher means is mounted on an operating shaft disposed concentrically with the chamber and the card transferer means is mounted for rotatory movement with the operating shaft.

7. In a coded card assorting device as set forth in claim 6 wherein a wheel having a tacky periphery is rotatably mounted on the transferer means, and a cam is located concentrically with the shaft and is adapted to drop the wheel onto the top of the card stack and then raise the card to a delivery position above the card holder.

8. In a coded card asserting device as set forth in claim 7 wherein a stop means is located above the card holder and engages a card carried by the wheel to disengage the card therefrom and permit it to drop into the holder.

9. In a coded card assorting device the combination of a chamber, a set of spaced apart ways mounted in the upper portion of the chamber, a row of card receiving bins positioned beneath the chamber; a combination of discontinued way portions forming coded card discriminating stations above each bin, a single card holder located at the initial end of the chamber adapted to receive a coded card and align its coded portion with the ways, and an intermittently operated card pusher means adapted to engage the card in the holder and advance it through the chamber to a predetermined discriminating station where it becomes unsupported by the ways and falls into the subjacent bin. 

1. In a coded card assorting system, a receptacle, means for holding a stack of coded cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack, a card discriminating chamber, a row of individual card receiving bins for the chamber, a single card receiving station at the initial end of the chamber, a transferer means moving a card at a time from the top of the stack to the receiving station, and means for advancing a single card face-wise from the station and through the chamber whereby each coded card will be delivered to a predetermined bin.
 2. The coded card assorting system set forth in claim 1 wherein the transferer means is intermittently actuated and the means for advancing a single card from the station is synchronized with the transferer means.
 3. In a coded card assorting device the combination with a card discriminating chamber having a plurality of card receiving bins, of a single card holder located at the initial end of the chamber, an intermittently operated card pusher means adapted to advance cards one at a time from the holder into the chamber and deliver it to its predetermined bin, a receptacle for holding a stack of cards indiscriminately mingled in a pack, and a card transferer means synchronized with the pusher means and adapted to move a card from the stack to the card holder in advance of the operation of the card pusher means.
 4. In a coded card assorting device set forth in claim 3 wherein the receptacle is open-topped and the transferer means is a wheel having a tacky periphery adapted to adhesively contact and lift the uppermost card in the stack to the holder.
 5. In a coded card assorting device set forth in claim 4 wherein a card stop means is positioned above the card holder and is adapted to engage the card on the transferer means and drop it into the holder.
 6. In a coded card handling device set forth in claim 3 wherein the chamber is circular in plan and the card pusher means is mounted on an operating shaft disposed concentrically with the chamber and the card transferer means is mounted for rotatory movement with the operating shaft.
 7. In a coded card assorting device as set forth in claim 6 wherein a wheel having a tacky periphery is rotatably mounted on the transferer means, and a cam is located concentrically with the shaft and is adapted to drop the wheel onto the top of the card stack and then raise the card to a delivery position above the card holder.
 8. In a coded card assorting device as set forth in claim 7 wherein a stop means is located above the card holder and engages a card carried by the wheel to disengage thE card therefrom and permit it to drop into the holder.
 9. In a coded card assorting device the combination of a chamber, a set of spaced apart ways mounted in the upper portion of the chamber, a row of card receiving bins positioned beneath the chamber; a combination of discontinued way portions forming coded card discriminating stations above each bin, a single card holder located at the initial end of the chamber adapted to receive a coded card and align its coded portion with the ways, and an intermittently operated card pusher means adapted to engage the card in the holder and advance it through the chamber to a predetermined discriminating station where it becomes unsupported by the ways and falls into the subjacent bin. 